Speech contest on 'role model' Nathuram Godse held for students in Gujarat, official suspended
India Today
A Gujarat government official has been suspended for organising an elocution contest for school students with "My Role Model - Nathuram Godse"- as one of the topics.
The Gujarat government on Wednesday suspended a probationary youth development officer from Valsad district for organising an elocution competition for school students with "My Role Model - Nathuram Godse"- the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi- as one of the topics, an official said.
This issue came to light on Wednesday when local newspapers in the Valsad district published reports claiming that a girl student has won the elocution competition for speaking on the subject - "My Role Model - Nathuram Godse (Maro Adarsh - Nathuram Godse)".
Mitaben Gavli, a probationary class-2 District Youth Development Officer for the Valsad district, was suspended immediately after Minister of State for Sports, Youth and Cultural Activities, Harsh Saghavi, assured action.
"I have ordered an inquiry into this incident. We will take action against the guilty," Sanghavi had told reporters in Gandhinagar.
Within hours, the order suspending Gavli was issued. The order stated that the officer should have taken extra care in selecting the topics for the elocution competition, which was organised by the department's Valsad office on February 14 at a private school.
It was open for students of primary schools in the age group of 11 to 13 years from the entire Valsad district.
"In the district-level competition held on February 14, school children were given three subjects to choose from. One of the subjects provided by Gavli was 'My Role Model - Nathuram Godse'. The other two subjects were - 'I like only those birds who fly in the sky' and 'I will become a scientist but will not go to the US", the suspension order stated.
